Solidarity savings are increasingly popular, particularly through retirement savings contracts (PER) or life insurance. But to give more weight and meaning to their investment, savers have the possibility of placing their money directly in the capital of companies to finance projects relating to rehousing, reintegration through employment or even the fight against global warming. .
The outstanding amount of solidarity savings is growing. She rises 24.5 billion euros according to the latest figures from the Fair association (ex-Finansol). A record reached in particular thanks to the additional 5.1 billion euros collected for the year 2021 alone, up 26% compared to 2020. However, solidarity savings remain a drop in the bucket since they only represent 0.42% of financial assets of the French.
You want to invest your money in projects that make sense and also benefit from an attractive return. Whether it be via your life insurance or your PER, you have the possibility of investing in solidarity funds. Another solution exists to finance projects favoring the acceleration of the ecological and solidarity transition: solidarity shareholding.
Savings: these investments that really allow you to invest in solidarity
Solidarity shareholding, what is it?
The company that wishes opens its capital to individuals in the form of shares or unlisted shares. This allows investors to strengthen equity, but above all to take part in the governance of these structures by working for social, ecological or economic transition, reports Fair on its site.
In a period where greenwashing and socialwashing scandals follow one another, solidarity shareholding responds to the citizens’ need for transparency. Like a shareholder, the money goes directly to the company he has chosen, plus the social and environmental impact. For some, it will even mean having a role in the governance of the company, allowing them to participate in general meetings, to speak out on company decisions or even to contribute to the participatory bodies of their choice, abound from members of the solidarity shareholding community in a forum recently published on the website of Echoes. And to recall that the assets invested directly in the capital of solidarity companies reached 900 million euros in 2021, up 15%.
Invest in real estate from €1,000. Our rankings of the best SCPIs
One rule: be patient
Unknown to the general public, this investment solution allows the saver to act directly against exclusion, poor housing, for reintegration through employment or even access to health and culture by subscribing to shares or shares in a company in the social and solidarity economy (ESS).
It is a question of going further by taking part in the governance of the company in question. You can act directly with your money with companies in your territory, for example. It’s open to everyone. In the majority of cases, the company must make a public call for savings and produce a very detailed information document which presents the share of capital taken and the risk for the saver. Everything is transparentexplains Sarah Perrier, head of the Finansol label.
Investment: are solidarity bank books worth it?
Of course, you won’t see the results of your investment immediately. These are long-term projects that can take time to set up. You don’t need this short-term money. The recommended investment period is 5 years minimum, to see the benefits but also to be able to obtain tax reductions, thanks to the Madelin IR-PME system. Like any investment, solidarity shareholding is a risky bet, the capital is absolutely not guaranteed.
We must leave time to the social entrepreneur at the end of the chain. Solidarity finance is patient finance. The idea is to provide financial resources so that the structure can develop its project. This is called patient capital, adds Sarah Perrier.
tax exemption
By entering the capital of a company, the saver can benefit from a tax reduction of up to 25%. This reduction concerns payments to the capital of SMEs thanks to the Madelin IR-PME scheme or recognized companies of social utility (ESUS). It also applies to investments in mutual funds for innovation (FCPI) and local investment funds (FIP) excluding Corsica and overseas.
If you wish to make solidarity shareholding, go to the site Fair and choose between the various Finansol-labelled companies offering the purchase of unlisted shares or shares.
Compare green, ethical or solidarity banks